Effie
by zealouslyjaded
Summary: Effie is a 20 something halfblood witch, still living at home and enjoying her life as chaser for her home Quidditch team. She finds herself, face to face with her first love, a Pureblood wizard who sent shivers down her spine, a week before his wedding. Trouble with reliving the past is some people have moved on.
1. Effie

The Laundered Note was a small restaurant close to the Leaky Cauldron, used by most in the wizarding world as a place to bring muggles on dates, all of the staff were fully trained witches and wizards willing and able to put out any fires, real or metaphorical. Euphemia Rickard was sat in at a table close to the rear, for her own privacy, sipping on a glass of fire whiskey and lemonade; a bad combination she had picked up at school and even 10 years after she had graduated she found hard to kick.

She had barely changed, she was still tall, blonde and the best legs in the family, even if her brother Hayden would disagree. At this moment in time she was wearing a mint green summer dress, with white sandals, her dark auburn hair was braided on one side but falling over her shoulder, she looked as girlie as she could without actually being naked. Her date, a muggle doctor was talking about some kid who had broken a bone whilst climbing a tree, she was happily pretending to listen. 'Why are you still here?' She thought to herself, as she fiddled with the napkin as she eyed her empty wondering if he'd give her the same critical eye at the second drink, that he had the first.

"So Effie, what do you do? You always avoid the question when I ask?" His comments cut through the silence, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you were so happy to talk about your work." She smiled "I mean you helped that boy to walk again." She lifted her drink up making a show to run over her lips hoping his eyes would follow and forget what she was talking about.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably as she set the drink down on the clean white linen tablecloth. "My dad runs an owl sanctuary, I help him run it." She offered, the answer itself was not untrue but she helped out on her down days rather than run it. In truth she was a chaser for the Cardiff Creepers, a position that had granted her the most dangerous player, two years running, being a Slytherin had its advantages, her reputation had preceded her along with her right hook and left knee.

"Oh, owl sanctuary?" His tone audible dropped before he sipped, his Perrier and lime. "Is there much call for that in London?"

"You'd be surprised where there are owls." The smile she gave him did not reach her owls she was starting to get tired of him.

"Well, it's not a real job though, is it? I mean, it's not like being a doctor." He smirked behind his glass as he sipped it again.

"Well, I will happily take working with my family helping owls, then being a doctor, obviously you have the condescension down to a tee."

"Hang on a minute..."

"No, Silencio." She held up her hand silencing, his mouth flapping open like a fish out of water. "You will listen to me. You are an arrogant and rude man, I'm going to call the night to an end now." She looked out catching the eye of her waitress. "Can I get the check and a memory remover... make that two."

She stood heading to the podium to pay as her waitress helped the man to his feet before undoing her magic, she sighed as she downed her drink. "Well, that ruined my evening." She said to herself as the Manager Tomas walked over, "You know one of these days you're going to run out of men to date." He smiled at her as she paid him for her table, drinks and the extra service.

"I'm sorry he was just so condescending." She sighed to herself as she pushed a lock of hair from her eyes.

"I could hear, he sounded like an arse." He nodded.

"He was." She gave a sigh, "Now I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go." She sighed, "I'll see you next time I'm on a date." She smiled heading out the small place walking tot he Cauldron. She moved to the bar. "Can I get a whiskey and lemonade?" She asked as she moved to the stool sitting down, she'd have one then head home for another night in front of the TV hoping that something good was on.

"Effie?" She tensed hearing her name being called "Effie Rickard?" Turning in her seat she was face to chest with someone, looking up into the deep dark brown eyes of the past sent heart racing. "Finn." The word barely escaped her lips as a thousand memories flooded her body.

"Hey, Effie." He gave her a shy smile, "How are y..." The word never ended as she slapped him hard across the cheek.


	2. Finn

The Cauldron was quiet for a Wednesday night, Finn Greyson had finished work hours ago but for some reason, he was sat by himself nursing a shot. His usual work robe was rolled up beside him on the long bench, discarded for simple jeans and a t-shirt. His 5 o'clock shadow looked more like a 10pm shadow and his hair was unruly. Every few seconds he'd pick up his glass, staring into the dark brown liquid then place it down. Untouched.

Standing up from the table he felt a change in the air, green fabric passed by him and a familiar scent wafted past him. He was suddenly 16 again, stood beside the lake hand in hand with... his eyes trailed around the room until he saw her.

Walking over he stood nervously behind her for a second trying to think of the right words to say. "Effie?" The words escaped before had a chance to say them. "Effie Rickard?" Finn asked as he looked down at her unsure how she'd react to him. She turned, a shy smile crossed his face, "Hey, Effie. How are y..."

The slap was expected, pain irradiated from his jaw to the corner of his eye. He brought his own hand to cheek taking a step back. "Merlin's Beard Eff." He cursed.

"And that was just a slap." She snapped, still sitting in the chair glaring at him.

He looked at her rubbing his cheek, undoubtedly the mark would remain for the foreseeable future, it wasn't the only mark she had left on him but it was the most visible. "All I wanted was to say hi to you."

He took a second to take her in, her face hadn't changed much, she still had her full pouty lips, the cute nose and terrifying look that she would kill everyone who looked at her wrong. He smiled despite himself.

"Did you turn into a masochist?" Effie asked as she reached for her drink taking a sip, her blue eyes met his own.

"No, you haven't changed at all." He smiled at her again. "Still as feisty as ever." He offered.

He didn't move from in front of her, neither did she try to leave, she sat back looking him up and down obviously. His eyes trailed down from her face, following every curve, the summer dress hugged her body stopping short of her knee, her legs were still as magnificent as he remembered.

"You're looking decidedly muggly." She raised an eyebrow at him. "I remember how hard it was to get you to put on a t-shirt let alone jeans."

Finn smiled and nodded, "Yes, well what can I say, you were right." He looked around, "I guess...I guess I'd better go." He stepped back from her turning towards where he had left his clothes. 'Idiot, why would she ever want to see you again, you are getting married in a week and you're acting like a complete fuckwit.' He thought to himself as he picked up his whiskey finally downing it.

"Have a drink with me."

He didn't notice her walk over to him, or standing beside him, but he noticed her perfume again, she smelt of blueberries and summer. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Effie gave a shrug and a noncommittal smile. "For old times sake, besides you can pay."


	3. Just Like Old Times

The first week of school usually made Finn Greyson happy, he was one year closer to graduating and becoming what his father expected him to be, but for some reason, he was filled with dread. It was barely after 1am when Finn found himself awake staring at the ceiling, the sound of snoring around could be heard. After he couldn't take it anymore, he climbed out of bed putting on a robe he grabbed the nearest book he could see in the low light. He walked out of the room heading towards the common room.

Opening the door into the room he was greeted by a pair of legs, hanging over the back of one of the large leather sofas, kicking every few seconds. A scowl crossed his face as he walked around the seat, he was willing to ignore the impropriety if he was able to sleep a little.

He looked down at the upside down person realising it was another student in his year. Euphemia Rickard was upside down her head leaning off the seat reading a book that was propped upside down, she wore pink striped shorts and a t-shirt. She looked up at Finn with little regard turning back to the book.

Finn continued his scowl as he found a seat, he sat straight in the high backed chair looking down at the book. His eyes flicked up every few seconds to the half-naked woman before him, he was sat there barely a few minutes when he slammed his book closed staring at the girl.

"Do you have to be so undressed?" He asked staring at her, still scowling.

Effie looked at Finn raising an eyebrow, "I had no objections in the hour before you arrived." She looked back at her book, stopping the conversation there and then.

"It is not right for you to be parading around like this." He carried on shaking his head, his dark hair falling over his eyes in unruly curls.

She let a sigh looking back up at him, the look of annoyance was written over her face. "I'm not parading around, I'm sat on a sofa trying to read a book. I'm sorry that you feel my outfit is inappropriate for 1am, I will take your objection under advisement." She paused. "I thought about it and I don't care. If you have an issue with my legs then you are more than capable of walking away, since I was here first."

Finn huffed slightly shifting in his seat at her words, his eyes drifting back over her legs. "Ms Rickard you are impossible, if you have forgotten I am a prefect and I can make your life difficult."

Effie rolled her eyes, "My life is already difficult I find it hard to believe that you could make it even harder." She pulled her legs from the seat rearranging herself so she is laid out, all her legs were now visible. "But if you really want to add to the misery that is my life then please don't." She stood up from her seat, he was suddenly out of his chair, she frowned "Why did you just stand up?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

He frowned shifting slightly from one food to another. "A gentleman always stands for a lady." He offered weakly.

She shook her head before picking up her book. "You pretend to be a gentleman whenever you feel like it, but you're not a gentleman, you're a self-centred arse." Effie started to walk away from him.

"Ms Rickard, stop there." Finn reached touching her shoulder firmly. "You throw around accusations that need explanations."

She pulled her shoulder away from him turning suddenly. "You want an explanation?" She shook her head before absently ran her fingertips through the loose ends of her hair. "In the 6 years we've spent together you've never once spoken to me." She squared up to him. "We're on the same Quidditch team and you refuse to speak to me. At the very least give me a reason. Is it because I'm a half-blood?" She looked at him trying to gauge his thoughts.

He frowned as he looked at her, he opened his mouth trying to think of the words to say. She shook her head, "That's what I thought." She headed away from him towards the dorm.

"You didn't know who I was." He called out after her.

Effie frowned turning towards him, "What?"

Finn let out a sigh, "You didn't know who I was on the first day."

She stepped closer to him, "The first day when we were 11?" She asked.

"Yes, I mean that's what it started as. You didn't know who I was, or my family." He offered, "Then...I just had my friends." He shrugged at his half-arsed offer.

"So, you didn't talk to me because I had no knowledge of who you were and that just kinda carried on?" She scowled. "That's even more pathetic like I said you're a self-centred arse." She shook her head heading away from him.

"Fuck." He sighed sitting down on the sofa she had left.

The memory of that night coursed through Finn as he set the drink down on the table in front of Effie,he moved to his seat sitting down opposite her.

She picked it up taking a sip of the drink her eyes never leaving Finn as he sat down opposite her, he sipped his own drink, there was a heavy silence between the two of them. "So, um...what do you do?" He asked quietly, not wanting to anger her anymore than he had.

She raised an eyebrow at him before setting her drink down. "You don't keep up with sport anymore do you? I'm a quidditch player."

Finn looked down at the glass tapping his finger on the side of it. "My life is a little busy for sport right now." He said softly.

"But not too busy to be sitting here staring at the bottom of a drink." She quipped smirking slightly as she sipped her own drink tapping her perfectly manicured nails on the table.

"How many times a week do you come here?" He asked ignoring her comment for now.

"A few nights, for one drink." She offered.

"And how many times have you see me here?" He nodded a smile turning up the corner of her lip. Her eyes met his, she swirled her drink smiling at him. "I am usually too busy, tonight was an exception." He smiled slightly at her. "You always did jump to conclusions."

"You always were a self-centered arse." She looked down at the glass before finishing the rest of her drink. "Well...since we caught up, I should be going." She got to her feet, he stood as well eliciting a chuckle from her. "I hope that your life is everything you wanted."

He looked down at the table feeling her eyes burning into his face, "Yer..." He shrugged slightly, "It was good seeing you. Maybe we can...talk sometime." He smiled hopefully.

"I don't know, maybe." She shrugged not wanting to commit to an answer. "Well, bye Finn." She offered walking over to the fireplace, she quickly disappeared.

Finn stood there staring into the fireplace waiting for something that obviously wasn't going to happen, he let out a sigh before grabbing his things and heading to the fireplace as well heading home.

"You are late mister." A soft female voice spoke as he arrived home.

"Sorry Brie, I got caught up at work."


	4. Leon

Effie walked out of the changing room after practice, her bag slung over her shoulder. She pushed a damp lock of hair from her eyes as she noticed a guy leaning against the wall close to the entrance. "I don't think you're meant to be here." She frowned, he wasn't a student or a teacher, she looked around, she had been the last person to leave.

"Euphemia Rickard?" The man asked, straightening himself off the wall. He had to be just over 6ft, slender but muscular with dark brown hair and eyes.

She frowned her hand slipping into the pocket of her hoodie touching the handle of her wand. "Um...yer."

"Great, can we talk?" He asked smiling at her, motioning for her to move closer to him.

"We are talking already, I have no idea who you are."

The smile on his lips dropped slightly, "I'm Leon Nicastro." his smile was back on full force, he nodded slightly, he was clearly waiting for a reaction that he was no receiving. "Leon." He smiled. "Nicastro." He nodded again as if saying it again would somehow jog a memory that didn't exist.

"OK." She offered, hoping he wouldn't repeat his name again. "Nice to meet you. I have somewhere tp be." She took a side step away from him hoping he wouldn't follow her.

"Woah, hey wait..." He sighed. "You don't know who I am do you?" He jogged a few paces to catch up with her as she walked away.

She looked at him, studying his face, strong jaw, straight nose, a little look of irritation in his eyes. "No, I actually don't, is that a problem?" She asked.

"Well...no." He conceded. "I'm the new captain of the Cardiff Creepers."

She stopped turning to him, "Since when? Jerry Lohemier is the captain."

"No it's not, Jerry stepped down as captain last week, he was doxing."

"Jerry was doxing?" She shook her head, "I guess you just don't know about some people." She frowned tilting her head slightly. "That's not what you came here to talk to me about is it?"

Leon smirked slightly, "No, it's not. I wanted to offer you a place on the team."

Effie frowned, "Me? Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yes, Euphemia, you. You have the greatest flying skill I've seen in years and one hell of a right hook." He looked at her grinning. "Well what do you say?"

"Effie." She smiled.

His smile dropped, "What?"

"You keep calling me Euphemia, that's my grandmother's name." She paused slightly, "I suppose if we're to work together you should know I'm called Effie." She nodded.

"Awesome." He grinned, "So, I'll start you off, probationary then as an substitute, practice starts on Monday..."

"I have school to finish, it's November." Effie looked up at him wondering if he would recind the offer.

"But...the season."

"The season can wait, I have to finish school."

"You can drop out." He offered.

She frowned shaking her head, "Um...no. I love quidditch but I need to finish school, I'm the Slyherin Captain, I have a cup to win here first. I can start at the beginning of next season."

Leon pouted at her, "There might not be an opening next season." He folded his arms over his chest.

"Well if there isn't I'm sure I'll be scouted by another team, I mean you came all the way here to find me, I can't be off everyone's radar."

He opened his mouth to object before closing it still pouting at her. "Fine...but no signing any contracts."

"Look I'd love to play for Cardiff, but if I'm given an offer for more money then I'm probably gonna take it. Unless you can guarantee... I dunno...main squad, I don't sub, nor do I do well on probation." She looked at him.

Leon sighed pushing his hair from his eyes. "OK, but I have a condition." He smiled. "You go out for dinner with me when you graduate."

Effie smirked, "I will go for dinner with the team and talk tactics." She nodded, before casually looking down at her watch, "Look at that I'm going to be late for class, send me an owl with the details." She stepped back before heading into a job back towards the castle.

"Rickard what the fuck was that?" Leon bent over Effie, the quaffle still in his hand, as she laid on the ground her broom hovering beside her,as she tried to catch her breath.

"I think that was my rib." She croaked out, she let go of the ball before curling her fingers checking every joint before reaching a hand for Leon.

"You are going to get yourself killed." He snapped grabbing her arm yanking her up onto her feet. "Don't ever try a fucking suicide dive again."

She coughed, her breathing ragged as she wrapped an arm around her side, pain shot its ways up her body, her vision clouding for a second. "Just muscle damage." She croaked, she took a deep breath trying to stretch out the pain. Her eyes narrowed on Jasmine. "I wouldn't have had to dived like that if someone had been paying attention to what she was doing and not flirting with the other teams beater."

"It's called distraction." Jasmine rolled her eyes as she hovered on her broom.

"Stop fucking around and do your job so I don't have to."

"You're such a martyr Effie." She turned her broom around flying away.

Effie grabbed her broom about to fly off when she felt an arm wrap around her waist lifting her off her feet and planting her on the ground, she winced her entire left side hurt. "Effie, I am the captain here. You're a chaser, chase the quaffle, not the snitch."

"But Jasmine..." She sat up looking up at Leon.

"Let me worry about Jasmine, I am the captain."

"If you acted like a captain and not everyone's fucking friend we wouldn't be in the hole we are now."

"And if you weren't chasing the wrong ball, you might be able to change the score for us, instead of against." He snapped, he shook his head, the referee flew over.

"Are we starting?" He asked, looking at Leon.

"Yes, but there's a substitution first, Van Aller for Rickard."

"What the fuck? You're benching me?" Effie stood again slower this time.

"Go take a shower and get checked out, you're being benched for the foreseeable future." Leon turned his back on her getting on his broom. The message was relayed around the stadium, she let out a sigh as she grabbed her own broom flying off the pitch towards the changing room.


	5. Scotch and Blueberries

Finn straightened his tie and smoothed his shirt out walking slowly towards his father's office, it always made him nervous talking to him. He wanted to pretend he didn't know why but Armand Greyson was not a man for idle conversation, he had learnt that from an early age, but today he had been summoned to his office, Finn could count the number of times he had been asked.

Knocking on the door he waited to be invited in before walking inside. "You wanted to speak to me, father?" He asked standing in the doorway.

Armand in his armchair beside the fire, the room was large but somehow felt enclosed, on the walls mythical creatures hung, shot by his grandfathers before the banning on big game hunting had taken place, it always made him nervous at the sight of death around him.

"Ah yes, come and sit." Armand motioned to the chair the other side of the fire, on the small table between was a bottle of scotch. "Drink?" He asked.

"Please." Finn tried to force a smile, but inside he felt like a child being chastised for anything small. He sat down in the chair taking the glass that was offered to him.

"Now, are you happy?" His father asked suddenly.

Finn almost choked on his drink at the words, "Happy?" He asked wiping the scotch off his face.

"Yes, are you happy? You're getting married in a few days, I want to make sure you're happy." His father leaned forward in his seat, his dark brown hair had more than a touch of grey now, his eyes were rimmed with heavy bags.

"I'm very happy." Finn smile froze for a second as the image of Effie crossed his mind instead of Brie, he shook his head trying to shake the image away.

"That is good, I was worried after the scandal you caused with that traitor's daughter you might be lost for good." Armand sat back relaxing into the heavy green leather chair.

"You mean Effie?" Finn asked, curious why his father brought her up.

Armand scoffed slightly, "Effie, ridiculous name, ridiculous father, a traitor to his own country and his own kind."

"I always liked Julian Rickard. He was always friendly, put me to work whenever I visited but I didn't mind." Finn frowned.

"Put you to work?" He shook his head, "The man is a disgrace, you know he wants to breed great grey owls for the ministry, I made sure to put a stop to that."

Finn set his drink down, "I never understood why you disliked him so much."

"He abandoned his family, moved to another country and married a muggle."

"That doesn't sound like a terrible thing, from what he told me, his parents were...hardliners. He left before he was forced into the life he didn't want..." His voice trailed off.

"He should have done what his parents said, they knew what was better for him. Don't think about the Rickard girl, besides you're better off with Brie, she is a nice pureblood girl the Nicastro's are a good family, a few blemishes, but which family can boast a perfect tree." Armand sighed deeply. "I'm proud of you son."

Finn felt the air escape from him, he had always wanted him to say he was proud of him, so why did it hurt?

—

Finn rounded the corner running straight into someone, he found himself sitting on the floor surrounded by papers, his eyes trailed up the bare legs of the girl before him. "I'm sorry miss." He said softly before his eyes trailed up higher to the annoyed face of Effie. "It's you, why are you running into me?" He snapped as he quickly got himself to his feet.

Effie glared at Finn as he helped himself up, she had landed awkwardly on her wrist, tears were already filling her eyes as she moved into a seated position. She barely heard his words as she looked at her hand trying to move her fingers but there was a definite lump forming on her wrist.

"You're the one that came around the corner at full speed." She snapped.

He moved around her gathering the books, he placed hers beside her before realising she hadn't stood up. "Are you going to act like the damsel and sit there all day?" He rolled his eyes before he finally noticed how she was holding her arm. "Are you hurt?" His tone was still sarcastic but this time the worry showed on his face as he knelt down beside her, it was the first time he noticed her perfume. She smelt like blueberries, he had smelt the scent before many times in the common room but he had never figured out who it was.

"I'm fine." She pulled her arm away from him as he reached for her hand.

"Don't play the martyr Effie, you're clearly not fine." He reached for her hand as he looked at the lump, he ran his fingers over the back of her hand. He turned to put both sets of books in his bag before, before placing his hand under her elbow. "Alright, let's get you to the nurse."

"I can make it there myself." She complained as he helped her up, she put more weight on him then she wanted.

"I have no doubt someone as stubborn as you would make it to safety even if you had no arms or legs, but I feel guilty, let me help you ok?" He said softly, wrapping his right arm around her shoulder as he kept her left close to her body making sure to keep it shielded from anyone getting to close.

Effie opened her mouth to complain about him touching her so familiarly but words escaped her for the first time, "The books?" She said blandly halfway to the nurse.

"I put them in my bag, don't worry I'm not going to steal them." He smirked looking down at her for a brief second.

They walked the rest of the way in awkward silence, once at the door she stepped aside from him. "So, I'm going to go in by myself." She nodded looking up at him.

"Alright." He smiled, "I really have been a giant asshole to you in the past. I'm sorry." He said softly pushing a stray curl from his eyes. "If you wanted to get a drink at the three broomsticks one weekend, that would be cool." He shrugged.

Effie smiled slightly, she shrugged as well. "Maybe, I'll have to check my schedule." She bit her lip slightly. "I should go, the pain is becoming unbearable." She laughed softly as she was starting to turn pale.

"Of course." He reached for the door opening it for her to step through. "Bye." He watched as she was ushered into a bed, the scent of blueberries hanging in the air.


	6. Hurricane Effie

The door slammed shut behind Effie, announcing herself to whoever was in the house at the time. Her parent's house was small 4 bedroom cottage in the Wye Valley, close to the Welsh-English border, she had spent all her life split between this house and the small apartment in London her father still owned from his bachelor days.

She dropped her bag on the floor, kicking her sneakers off and dropping her bag on the floor, her hand itched to pick up her phone but she resisted, she placed it on the table by the door along with her keys. "Mum, Dad, Ari?" She called out hoping she was alone to stew in her misery.

"Eff?" A voice called out from the top of the stairs as she made her way into the large kitchen. Effie pushed her hair from her eyes as pulled out a glass, pouring some orange juice from the fridge.

"Eff, what are you doing home?" Ariella walked into the kitchen, her pale blonde hair a mess as she wrapped a large sweater around herself. "You woke me up." She pouted taking the glass from her. Effie watched as her younger sister lifted herself gracefully up onto the counter, folding her giraffe-like legs under herself. "You had a match today."

"Yes, well, it was called on account of bad weather." Effie scowled taking the glass back off her.

"Hurricane Effie strikes again." She laughed her hair falling over her shoulders. "Did Leon send you home? How is Leon?" She raised an eyebrow at her.

"What are you doing sleeping its 3 pm." Effie scowled at Ari trying to change the subject. When growing up everyone would comment that they were twins, with barely 18 months between them, they looked almost identical except for their hair color, Ariella's pale blonde was a stark contrast to Effie's dark brown.

"Moonlight bluebells won't pick themselves." She sighed, "Trouble is moon rise was 3 am, and dawn was 5, I had to pick them quickly and get them into the greenhouse cupboard before they burned." Ari sighed stretching. "But before that, I was prepping everything else, I needed for the potion." She yawned again. "Speaking of late nights." She grinned, "What happened with Dr Fine." She grinned.

"Dr Fine, as you called him, was more like Dr Condescending." She frowned leaning back against the other counter.

"There's always something wrong with these guys, too tall, too short, boring, condescending, a goblin. You are so picky."

"I'm not that picky."

"Yes, you are." Ari frowned, "You never want to date someone from our world so you date muggles." She frowned. "But you can't be honest with muggles, I know you're still hung up on Finn."

"I am not hung up on Finn. I don't need you to set me up anymore, try having your own love life before you start dictating mine to me." Effie moved away from the counter towards the door.

Ari pushed herself off the counter striding over to her sister, she wrapped her arms around her, a few inches taller then her she stopped her from moving. "Don't be mad Eff, I just want you to be happy, that's all."

Effie felt Ari rest her head against her, she patted her sister's arm pulling it off from her. "I know." She sighed. "I'm just mad at Leon." She pulled back turning around to face her sister, "So where is everyone?" Meeting Finn the night before had shaken her up, old feelings she thought had past came rushing forward, battling out with other feelings to be acknowledged.

Ari nodded, "Mum is out shopping and Dad went to go pick up his shipment of owls."

"More owls?" Effie laughed slightly, "This place can barely contain the ones we have now."

"Yes, well apparently he wants some great grey owls, for official Ministry business obviously," Ariella smirked closing her eyes.

"You know he just wants to corner the owl breeding market." Effie laughed, "I'm gonna go get changed and lie down, let me know if dad needs some help when he gets home."

"I will." Ariella smiled.

No sooner had Effie headed upstairs, there was an audible pop and a knock at the door. Ariella opened it finding Leon stood outside, "Is Effie here?" He asked, his eyes travelling to the phone on the table and the bag on the floor. "Can I see her?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, she's not in the best of moods." Ari held the door open with one hand and fiddled with her hair with the other.

"Well, I can sort that, I have a few tricks to settle your sister down." He smiled broadly at the younger woman, "It's a shame you didn't pursue Quidditch, I could certainly use someone as dazzling as you on the team."

"I bet you say that to all the ladies." Ariella smiled despite herself as she flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Only ones as beautiful as you." He winked before his eyes wandered behind her trying to get a glimpse of Effie.

"You charmer." She giggled. "But you're still not coming inside." She grinned at him. "You could wait, maybe one of my parents will invite you in."

"Oh come on Ari, I need to speak to her, she's been ignoring my calls and texts." He sighed as he reached for the door trying to sidestep her but he was stopped suddenly in his tracks.

"Like I said one of those can invite you inside." She smiled pushing him easily back shutting the door in his face.

"At least tell her I'm outside, please. Every time I come here it starts to rain." He called through the door.

"It's called being in Wales you should be used to it by now." Ari countered through the door as she watched him move to the bench on the porch looking over his playbook, muttering to himself every few seconds.

Effie sat on the top step as Ariella turned. "I should go speak to him." She frowned, "He is my...boss."

Ari shook her head, "Don't, he'll get over himself dad will put him to work then let him inside. You need to go get a shower and act like you don't give a shit what Leonidas Nicastro thinks." Ari walked up the stairs taking Effie's and pulling her to her feet. "Is it true he has a secret girlfriend?"She wrapped an arm around her older sister's waist pushing her up towards their shared bathroom. "She must be bloody ugly if he's keeping her a secret."


End file.
